Fashion retailers, cosmetic brands and supermarket chains provide the winning formula in Central and Eastern Europe’s premier retail awards ceremony. Developers of retail parks, convenience stores and refurbishments also collected numerous accolades across the main development categories.
Honouring the region’s ever-changing commercial retail real estate market and reflecting its evolving and competitive nature, EuropaProperty’s 15th annual CEE Retail Real Estate Awards once again highlighted the continued enthusiasm for retail real estate in the region by recognising the best of the retail industry for its continued market success.
Overall Retailer went to Rossmann which was recognised for its continued expansion and confidence in the CEE region throughout 2022. Poland’s LPP, with five fashion brands under its umbrella, was also highly appreciated by the jury on the night. Specialty Retailer in the large category went to supermarket retailer Kaufland, which recently opened its 1,500th store in Romania.
This year’s Professional of the Year award went to Kaufland’s Head of Investor Relationship Management Angelus Bernthuether. He was highlighted by the jury for his strong leadership skills and ambition in a challenging and competitive market.
Accentuating the continued confidence and interest in the region’s retail sector, many key retailers were also awarded on the night. Other major winners for the retailer-specific awards included: F&B Retailer Max Premium Burgers, Specialty Retailer, in the small category, Vision Express, Specialty Retailer, in the large category, Kaufland, Cosmetics Retailer Rituals and fashion retailers 4F, Sinsay and Reserved. The Online Retailer of the Year award was received by LPP (Cropp, House, Mohito, Sinsay and Reserved).
Nhood was recognised by the jury for its prolific development and refurbishment strategy throughout the region. The company won three awards, including Developer, Retail Renovation/Refurbished Project of the Year for their Auchan Piasecszno development in Warsaw and won Future Project of the Year for the mixed-use development Wilanow Park also in Warsaw.
2022 was a big year for the evolving retail development in the region and the project award winners reflected the changing dynamics of the sector’s development markets. Many of this year’s nominees formed extensions, refurbishments, mixed-use and retail park projects.
Trei Real Estate’s popular and successful Vendo Park chain won the Retail Park and Retail Project awards. Their latest winning developments, included Vendo Park Skarżysko-Kamienna and Vendo Park Otwock, their largest retail park in Poland to date. The company also picked up Retail Park Developer and has continued ambitious plans for its Vendo Park portfolio in Poland.
Other major project accolades were given to Blue City in Warsaw, which collected the Ultimate Destination award for its F-Factor – an existing project offering Food, Fashion, and Fun. Blue City’s Yoram Reshef vice-president of the board also received high praise and recognition on the night and was honoured by EuropaProperty with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Yoram came to Poland from Israel in 1998. From 1999–2002 he worked for the GTC Group and was the managing director of Galeria Mokotów, the first real mall in Poland, which was built and commercialized under his supervision.
He has been managing Blue City, a shopping centre in Warsaw since 2002, when he supervised its construction, through its opening in April 2004, until today, where he is the vice-president of the board.
The Best Performing Factory Outlet Project went to Designer Outlet Warszawa by DWS Group. The recently extended and refurbed development has received much praise in recent times and is now considered one of the top three premium factory outlet destinations in Europe. Concept Store went to C&A in Bratislava.
Nepi Rockcastle was recognised by the jury for its prolific acquisition strategy throughout the region. The company won Investor of the Year. Notable investments included the recent acquisition of Forum Gdansk in Poland for €250 million. The acquisition represents one of the biggest single-asset shopping centre transactions by value in Europe in 2022.
In a significant boost to the retail real estate industry, the 15th edition of the annual EuropaProperty CEE Retail Awards, welcomed a record number of attendees, including over 100 retailers actively operating in the region.
Innovation in the retail sector was recognised by the Retail Tech Provider Award with PlanRadar, a real estate platform with digital task management being recognised for its achievements and forward-thinking practices that have shaped the changing face of the retail construction industry over the last year.
Additional company awards were given to CFE as Construction Firm of the Year. International real company Sierra Balmain picked up the Property Management Firm of the Year and Asset Management Firm for the extensive nature of its professionalism and retail properties portfolio under management.
Global consultants CBRE picked up the Agency of the Year award. Additional company awards were presented to Dentons, one of the world’s biggest law firms, which received the regional Law Firm of the Year award. Tax and Financial Adviser of the Year once again went to TPA Poland/Baker Tilly TPA and Professional Service Provider of the Year went to Closer Music.
Cushman & Wakefield again followed up on last year’s success by collecting the Project Management Firm of the Year award. Schwitzke Gorski picked up Architectural Firm of the Year and was recognised for its extensive design, fit-out and conceptual work with several popular retailers. Bank Pekao was voted Bank of the Year and Shopping Center Director of the Year was awarded to Emilia Zaluska from Cushman & Wakefield and her management of the Klif shopping centre in Warsaw.
In a nod to the increasing synergies between retail and warehousing, a couple of awards recognised some of the biggest players in these fields. Prolific warehouse developer Panattoni walked away with the Warehouse Developer award and DHL Supply Chain collected the Logistics Provider award.
The awards were judged by an independent elite panel of industry professionals from some of the leading commercial real estate companies in the region. The jury selected the winners of the awards from the shortlisted companies. To ensure maximum objectivity and transparency of the final results, the judging procedure was overseen by EY – one of the world’s leading professional services organizations.
On behalf of our sponsors, judges and attendees, we offer our congratulations to all the winners. Foundations are already in place for next year’s event, which promises to be even bigger.
Partners 2023
The CEE Retail Awards was sponsored by Master Management Group as the Whiskey and Cognac Lounge Partner. New Work as CEE Flex Office Partner. Awards Sponsors included Blue City, Trei Real Estate, TPA Poland/Baker Tilly Poland, Acteeum Group, and Rossmann. Corporate Table Partners CDDI, Nhood, EPP, Kaufland, CBRE Global Investors, Nepi Rockcastle, Hays and Panattoni. Auditor EY, Supporting Partners MAPIC, REVO and SEE Retail Group, Charity Partner Finedeeds, Media Partner Serbia Monthly, Wine Parter Mielzynski and Beer Partner Perla.